THE SONGS THAT GOT ME THROUGH FRESHMAN YEAR.
Updated: Nov 12, 2020
Freshman year of college is a lot of things: confusing, scary, exciting, & pretty much just hectic altogether. The thing I love more than anything (besides my family, friends, & Fish Gill, obviously) is music. Music helps by placing whatever mood you are in into words, melodies, & rhythms, all within about a 4 minute time frame. Sure, I write music myself & I can write whatever I'm feeling, but sometimes there's already a song out there that has my emotion, name, & everything else already written on it. So, here are some songs that helped get me through my freshman year of college- the good times & the bad.
(PS: If you click on the song title, it'll take you straight to the Spotify link!)
"HIGH SCHOOL" BY KELSEA BALLERINI
This song came out right around the time that college was just starting to get into full swing, which also was the moment that I realized I was growing up & wasn't in a bubble anymore.
If we're being honest, I sometimes held my emotions in too much this past school year. This song came on one day & I was like,
"Wow. True that, Hayley Williams."
Ever since then, I would always hear this song & use it as a reminder to just say what I was thinking so I wouldn't get ticked off:')
"ROSE-COLORED BOY" BY PARAMORE
Along with "Fake Happy," I listened to this song a lot when I wasn't feeling super upbeat. I'm not one of those 24/7 happy people, so when I had people trying to make the best of situations, it would make me upset & I would just want to secretly send them this song in a text (I didn't do this. I did, however, learn how to accept people trying to make the best of things...for the most part).
"PUT ME IN THE GROUND" BY DANIEL NUNNELEE (FT. AUSTIN SAWYER)
This song was written & recorded by one of my friends at MTSU, Daniel Nunnelee. This song was the first time that I saw the Recording Industry (RIM) department all together supporting a fellow student artist who was putting their first original content out for the world...and it was one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to witness. Seeing the success of this song grow over this past year has been so fun & I'm also so proud of my friend for putting his music out there for others to hear!
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT HIS INSTAGRAM!
Would it even a music post by me if I didn't put in a Taylor song of some kind? Taylor Swift's new album, Reputation, came out towards the end of my first semester of college. It was exciting to watch her climb the charts in my music business classes & was also super cool to hear new side of her music! This song, however, has been my favorite from the album for a while. Maybe the cute music vid had something to do with it, but I think it's just because of the lyrics, honestly.
"CHAOS & CLOTHES" BY JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT
If you didn't know by now, I have a super big love for Jason Isbell music. This song was a challenge for me this past semester to learn on guitar because it taught me a new way to play my guitar. It also showed me a different side of myself as an artist- and I really like it!
"WOLVES" BY SELENA GOMEZ X MARSHMELLO
This song came out last fall, but I really didn't appreciate it until this past spring semester. I would put this song on all the time driving home from work!
Walk The Moon has always been one of those bands that I always forget that I like. When they released this song, however, I did NOT forget how great they were! I love to just DANCE to this song in my car.
"THE OUTFIELD" BY THE NIGHT GAME
Right before my freshman year of college started, I went to a John Mayer concert in Nashville & The Night Game opened for him. I'd never heard of this band before & at the time, they only had one single out. Since I saw them last summer, I've kept up with their music & really enjoy it! I listen to all of their songs, but this is the first one I heard by them & is also the one that I gravitate back to the most, so that's why it's "the chosen one" here:)
Little Big Town is always a band I love & admire, both as musicians & people. This song was released this past year & seemed to come on shuffle at the perfect times. It's a song that reminds me to slow down, which I need with my crazy busy schedule!
This song is a few years old, but it's still a GREAT one. Just listen to the lyrics. I relate SO HARD.
Keith released this one this past spring & honestly it's a JAM, both with the sound & the lyrics. Thanks for this one, Kieth, Julia, J.R., & Nicolle.
"FRIENDS DON'T" BY MADDIE & TAE
Maddie & Tae are one of my favorite duos in country music right now & when they released this song, I got so excited! I feel like this is a different sound for them, but at the same time, it ties together everything that I think of when I hear their band name (if that makes sense). This song was one that DEFINITELY got put on multiple playlists this past year!
I got to hear Keith perform this at UMG's CRS (Country Radio Seminar) show this past February with Nicolle Galyon (my favorite songwriter who wrote & sang backup on this song) & it was magical. I got to see the two of them perform an empowering song in front of all the industry professionals that I will get to work for/ with one day & it was SO COOL.
So there y'all go! That's pretty much my music taste in a nutshell for this past school year! Thanks for reading! You rock.
-GC